• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Left behind by their fleeing comrades at the encounter site, the remains of two suspected New People’s Army leaders were recently turned over by the 79th Infantry Battalion to their respective families in Barangay Banago, Bacolod City, and Brgy. Tan-awan in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, 79th Infantry Battalion commander, said their action in returning the remains of Hans Ponteras and Marissa Pobresa to their respective families shows their “continuing commitment to upholding humanitarian values in the conduct of duty.”
Ponteras, who was reported by the Philippine Army as the sitting secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol, and head of the Regional Taxation Implementing Group, and Pobresa, a regional communication officer, died in a recent encounter with 79IB soldiers in Brgy. Caduhaan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
“Even in tragic and traumatic events brought by war, we can state the reality that even enemies can show respect to one another,” Calaoagan stressed.
As he understands the pain of every parent who has lost a child to the deception of the communist terrorist group (CTG), Calaoagan said he hopes this will serve as a wakeup call for those who are still being misled by false ideologies.
“We fervently hope that this severs as a clear example of what awaits you, if you keep on fighting the government and the rule of law, armed with baseless and false ideologies of the CTG,” he said, apparently referring to the rebel remnants in Negros Island.
Brig. Gen. Michael Samson, 3rd Infantry Division commander, who supervises Philippine Army units stationed in Western Visayas, Negros Island Region and Central Visayas, said there will be no letup in campaign against rebel remnants in the three regions.*
